wine - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T15:11:32Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/wineLantana: Town OKs some vendor parking and beer and wine sales at green markethttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/lantana-town-oks-some-vendor-parking-and-beer-and-wine-sales-at-g2020-03-04T15:39:05.000Z2020-03-04T15:39:05.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Mary Thurwachter</strong></p>
<p>Lantana’s Shoreline Green Market at Bicentennial Park opened to acclaim from vendors and residents but is struggling to find its footing, according to Hector Herrera, the event’s founder and manager.<br /> During a town meeting on Feb. 10, Herrera said the market, in existence since November, was just starting to find its customer base. Customers want lots of vendors, he explained, and the market’s original 30 vendors have dwindled to 15.<br /> One of the main reasons, Herrera said, was a lack of designated parking for vendors. Several had repeatedly been slapped with parking tickets with limited space in the Ocean Avenue area for both vendors and customers. “A lot of these vendors are mom-and-pop businesses who invest in bringing their produce, their wares and their arts and crafts to the market. The parking tickets they get add up week after week.” <br /> Herrera asked that parking fees be waived at Bicentennial and Lyman Kayak parks from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on market Sundays. While the Town Council didn’t agree to that, it did grant 20 (out of 31) parking spaces at Lyman Kayak Park, just around the corner on North Lake Drive, for vendor parking. <br /> Mayor Dave Stewart said he wouldn’t want to take away any street parking or parking at Sportsman’s Park, because Sunday was a day that many families take out their boats and would need parking spaces. Customers of restaurants on Ocean Avenue would also need parking spaces.<br /> Council member Lynn Moorhouse said he really liked the green market and was in favor of allowing vendors to park at Kayak Park. He said it was the perfect place since “on Sundays, it’s empty.”<br /> Council members suggested that other vendors could drop off their tents and wares and park free at the town’s tennis courts at Iris Avenue and South Lake Drive, just a few blocks south of Bicentennial Park.<br /> With the vendors off the streets, more parking spaces would become available for the public, Herrera said.<br /> In another attempt to draw customers, Herrera requested permission to sell bloody marys, as well as beer and wine, at the green market. Town Manager Deborah Manzo said the town would need to change its code to allow alcohol for bloody marys, so that request was denied. However, the council did approve the sale of beer and wine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. <br /> Moorhouse said beer and wine were allowed at other town events and he saw no problem with approving sales at the green market. <br /> “No one’s going to get pukey from 10 to 2 in the afternoon unless they’re a really pukey person,” Moorhouse said. <br /> Police Chief Sean Scheller promised to keep an eye on drinking at the green market. If it does become a problem, the town can rescind approval.</p></div>Wine Social: Tanzy, Boca Raton – Oct. 7https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/wine-social-tanzy-boca-raton-oct-72014-10-29T14:30:00.000Z2014-10-29T14:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960526694,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960526694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="7960526694?profile=original" /></a><em>More than 70 guests attended the American Fine Wine Competition’s fun-filled event that included a tasting of 50 U.S. wines complemented by an array of appetizers. All proceeds benefited Women In Distress of Broward County, a domestic-violence center. Photo: Edie and Ira Holz, Jay Valenski, Kimberly Davidson, Andrew and Robin Baker and Karen Wilson. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p></div>Wine and All that Jazz: Boca Raton Resort & Club – Aug. 3https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/wine-and-all-that-jazz-boca-raton-resort-club-aug-32013-09-04T01:17:07.000Z2013-09-04T01:17:07.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960457488,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960457488,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="180" alt="7960457488?profile=original" /></a><em>More than 500 guests, including Joe and Holli Rockwell Trubinsky, enjoyed the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s signature event for Boca Festival Days — an evening of lively music, wine and dishes from the city’s top restaurants. Entertainment was served up Cirque du Soleil-style, featuring contortionists and stilt walkers. <strong>Photo provided by Janis Bucher</strong></em></p></div>Celebrations: Boca Bacchanal Grand Tastinghttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/celebrations-boca-bacchanal-grand-tasting2012-04-05T13:23:08.000Z2012-04-05T13:23:08.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960380859,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960380859,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="576" alt="7960380859?profile=original" /></a><em>Steve and Stephanie Miskew sample wines at the Boca Bacchanal Grand Tasting at Mizner Park. Stephanie Miskew was general chairman of the event, which benefits the Boca Raton Historical Society. <strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p></div>Chill, baby, chill: Finding the right wine helps to cool our sweltering summerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/chill-baby-chill-finding-the2010-07-01T15:30:00.000Z2010-07-01T15:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960299658,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" />
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';"><br />Ask a <a href="http://thecoastalstar.ning.com/profiles/blogs/ask-a-wine-professional">wine professional</a><br /><br />By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">For those who stay in South Florida this summer, there’s one reward: plenty of hot,<br />
humid weather that is the perfect excuse to chill out with a bottle of wine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">“A glass of wine brightens up everything — whether you are on the back porch,<br />
around the pool or sitting down to dinner,” says Asher White, co-owner and wine<br />
buyer for Dolce Vita Wines in Lake Worth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">To find something refreshing, you have to put a little thought into what you pour.<br />
For help, we turn to three local wine experts who have tips for summer sipping<br />
as well as suggestions for bottles to buy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">When it comes to whites, you may want to avoid your favorite chardonnay because it<br />
can get “muted and flabby” when served very chilled, says Bob Leone, manager<br />
and wine director of Crown Wine & Spirits in Boynton Beach. Instead, look<br />
for a wine that has a good level of acidity to stand up to the cold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Dave Spitzer, owner of Old Vines Wine & Spirits in Delray Beach, agrees with<br />
Leone that you don’t want a big buttery chardonnay. Instead, look for “crisper<br />
more mineral and acidic wines that are not soft on the palate,” he says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Spitzer recommends wines made from <i>torrontes</i>, white grapes from Argentina; <i>albarino</i><br />
grapes from Spain; and <i>catarratto</i>, white grapes native to Sicily. All make nice, crisp wines perfect for serving<br />
chilled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Or, select a New Zealand sauvignon blanc that has overtones of citrus such as<br />
grapefruit. Served chilled, it’s very refreshing, Spitzer says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">La Dolce Vita’s White recommends a Chilean sauvignon blanc priced from $10 to $12<br />
a bottle. “It’s a good wine that’s a good value for summer when the economy is<br />
slow,” he says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">He also enjoys South African chenin blanc that has bright acidity and good<br />
minerality without too much grapefruit flavor. He suggests serving it with<br />
seafood, pork, chicken or a salad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">“But don’t get too caught up with pairing foods and wines. Drink what makes you<br />
happy,” he says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">In summer, you can even pour reds if they have “what wine geeks describe as good<br />
structure and bold fruit,” says Crown’s Leone. He’s a fan of Australian shiraz<br />
(“Not the cheap stuff”) as well as California cabernets and red zinfandels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Although you can drink these reds year-round, they lend themselves to the al fresco<br />
experience, and their flavors go well with grilled dishes, he says. However, he<br />
recommends you serve them with a slight chill, at about 65 degrees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">“A lot of people don’t drink red wine in summer because they think it is too hot,”<br />
explains White. “But truth is they are serving the wine too hot,” he says. It’s<br />
best to put the bottle of red in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before<br />
serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Spitzer also serves lightly chilled cabernet and Australian shiraz when dining indoors<br />
where it’s air-conditioned. But he finds some people feel that these wines are<br />
too high in alcohol and, therefore, too heavy to drink in the outdoor heat. He<br />
also warns that their high alcohol content (above 13.5 percent) can go to your<br />
head quickly in our summer climate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Instead, he enjoys a light red such as a pinot noir, beaujolais or a little more fruity<br />
wine such as a syrah or zinfandel.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">Anything described as bright and fruity can be chilled, says Spitzer, who highly<br />
recommends that when drinking wine outdoors in summer you consume a glass of<br />
water for every glass of wine you imbibe. “You’ll feel a lot better and stay<br />
longer at the picnic,” he says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">White finds that many of his customers who drink cabernets in the winter switch to<br />
chardonnays in the summer, even though some of our experts don’t recommend<br />
serving this often buttery wine ice cold. But for those who want to stick with<br />
reds, Dolce Vita’s White also recommends a pinot noir with good fruit, a red<br />
zinfandel, a syrah and a shiraz. He keeps pinot noir around as a staple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">And “don’t rule out a good rose,” White says. We’re not talking about that sweet<br />
pink wine California has used to ruin the reputation of these pretty pours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">“People see pink in a wine glass and think sweet,” White says. But that’s not<br />
necessarily true unless the winery has used lesser quality grapes and “jazzed<br />
them up” with sugar. A true rose is a red wine in which the liquid hasn’t been<br />
left in contact with the grape skins for very long. It’s the skins that give<br />
red wine its red color.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">White suggests you look to wines from Mediterranean regions such as Provence and<br />
Languedoc where roses are the summer wine of choice. Or select one of the<br />
better roses from the Rhone region of France where the winemakers use a blend<br />
of grenache, syrah, mourvedre and cinsault grapes. They produce a wine that<br />
tastes juicy with fresh fruit, he says.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">And when the temperature and humidity rise, don’t forget sparkling wines. Leone<br />
recommends a Washington State sparkler that can be budget priced at about $10.<br />
Spitzer is a fan of a dry (Brut) sparkler such as a rose, blanc de blanc or<br />
blanc de noir. And White likes to fill flutes with prosecco, the sparkling wine<br />
of Italy, which has tropical fruit flavors without being sweet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';">With so many choices, perhaps the most important thing to remember this summer is:<br />
“Whatever makes you happy works. Just enjoy it. There are no rules to break<br />
when it comes to serving wine,” White says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Minion Pro';"><i>Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.</i></span><br />
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<p class="MsoNormal"></p></div>Ask a wine professionalhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/ask-a-wine-professional2010-07-01T15:00:00.000Z2010-07-01T15:00:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">We asked local wine experts to recommend and comment on some of their favorite bottles for summer drinking (prices listed are representative; check stores for<br />
exact prices).</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><span style="font-style:italic;">• Asher White, co-owner and wine buyer of Dolce Vita Wines, 9 N. J St., Lake Worth, 561-493-3330.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960299083,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Thomas Henry Sonoma County Chardonnay, $13 (Slight oak, good fruit and crisp acid help this wine stand up to food)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Banear Prosecco, $18 (It’s extra dry with tropical fruit flavors that go over well.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Odfjell Cabernet from Armador, $16 (This wine is fantastic. It’s good with food or for sipping. It’s not so heavy that it will make you hot. It’s a medium- to<br />
full-body cabernet that you should chill for serving.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Pindar wines of Long Island made from cabernet franc, $17 (It’s on the light side with full fruit; offers plum and black cherry flavors.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><span style="font-style:italic;">• Bob Leone, manager and wine director of Crown Wine & Spirits, 532 SE 15th Ave., Boynton Beach, 561-734-9463.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960298900,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, $28 (Prototypical cut grass and sweet pea aromas; higher acidity makes it refreshing; melon, apricot, grapefruit flavors<br />
vary with vintage.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bernkasteler Doktor Kabinett, $30 (You get the sense of fruit such as apricot, peaches and nectarines; you pick up the slate and mineral flavors; being a kabinett, this<br />
wine is made from grapes that are picked early so they have higher acidity and<br />
are refreshing; serve with trout or grilled grouper.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Layer Cake Shiraz, $15 (From southeastern Australia, this wine is made in a big, ripe style with a lot of dark fruit such as black plums and berries. They use oak to<br />
age it so the wine tastes of vanilla.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Kaesler “The Bogan,” $63 (From the Barossa Valley of south Australia, this wine is similar to the Layer Cake Shiraz, but on a bigger scale with more elegance; can<br />
be aged 10 years.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Earthworks Shiraz, $12 (Lighter than the Layer Cake wine but not as big and robust; however it costs less, too. Not as outgoing a personality.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><span style="font-style:italic;">• David Spitzer, owner Old Vines Wine & Spirits, 900 E. Atlantic, Suite 3, Delray Beach, 561-276-2076.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960299453,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Ferraton Pere & Fils Cotes du Rhone Villages, $16 (Great with food or for sipping)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Si Soave, $10 (Made with the garganega grape rounded out with trebbiano, wines from Soave, which is near Verona, Italy, have less acid and taste smoother than<br />
pinot grigio with apple citrus and tropical fruit flavors)</span></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Lamura Bianco de Sicilia $10 (Made from the Sicilian grape <i>catarratto</i>, this is a fresh white with floral and tropical aromas.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Clayhouse Adobe Red, $16 (A blend of zinfandel, petite-sirah, syrah, malbec, grenache and mourvedre, this wine is bright and fruity with hints of anise and spice.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Z’ivo Quartet, $23 (From the Willamette Valley of Oregon, this wine is a blend of pinot blanc, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and melon de Bourgogne.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bridgeview Blue Moon Pinot Noir, $19 (Fresh ripe fruit flavors of black cherry and raspberry, nicely structured, rich body with a lasting finish.)</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:right;" align="right"><span style="font-size:11pt;">— <i>Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley</i></span></p></div>Selecting the right gift wine for the holidayshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/selecting-the-right-gift-wine2009-12-02T19:28:03.000Z2009-12-02T19:28:03.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:left;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960281091,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></p>
By Jan Norris
It can be confusing to choose a bottle of wine to take to someone else’s home — there’s the unknown menus and the host’s taste to consider.
We went to three area wine experts to get their opinions on wines that are suitable for taking along to holiday festivities.
“My safest bet is something with bubbles — always this time of year. You know it’s going to be used, whether in general or for an occasion,” said Bob Leone, manager and wine director of Crown Wines and Spirits in Boynton Beach. “After that, it’s a matter of what number you attach to it. If money’s no object, then <b>Dom Perignon</b>, <b>Krug</b>, <b>Cristal</b>, <b>Bollinger</b> or one of the tête de cuvée from the French houses. For those, you’re looking at $100 and up.”
But for drinkable bargains, he says to look for “entry level French Champagnes. He likes <b>Billecart-Salmon Brui Reserve</b> — “about $43 a bottle,” he said. Others on his list: <b>Piper-Heidsieck</b>, <b>Louis Roederer</b>, <b>Veuve Cliquot’s yellow label</b>. These will be between $35 and $60 a bottle.
Dave Spitzer, owner of Delray Beach’s Old Vines and Spirits, would likely take something “that’s maybe not the normal fare. I’d go with something a little more unusual. He likes blends, like “<b>a La Storia Cuvee 32</b>. It’s a 2005 from Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. It’s a nice combination of Italian with domestic California grapes. I like doing that. It’s something nobody else might bring,” and costs around $24 a bottle.
He also likes the more recent pinot grigios from California. The producers are coming around, he said, after a lackluster start with these wines. “Oregon’s <b>Duck Pond</b>, or <b>King Estate’s Pinot Gris</b> from Williamette Valley are both good choices.”
As for a meal wine, “Again, for something unusual, there’s a small producer from Williamette Valley, <b>Z’ivo</b>, that makes a wonderful Pinot Noir. It’s $26 to $35. They also have a wonderful white blend, <b>Z’ivo Quartet</b>, for $21.”
He also recommends sparkling wines as the safe bet. “Nothing says the holidays like popping a cork.” Some drinkers don’t like bone-dry sparklings, so choosing one with a slight sweetness is OK, he said, especially with different types of hors d’oeuvres and foods.
“One I like to serve before telling them where it’s from is <b>Gruet</b>. They have a blanc du noir and a brut. It’s from New Mexico, it’s bottle-fermented and made in the true Champagne method. And for $16, you can’t beat the price.”
His general tips: Take sparkling wines to the party already chilled if you’d like them served. Don’t buy a bottle for the price just to impress. “Take something you’re happy to share, or that you think they’d like that you found; your host will likely appreciate that gesture,” he said. And, “Remember to take off the price tag!”
Jake Card is the “wine guy” at Lantana Fine Wines and Spirits. He also says go with quality that you can afford. There’s a great deal out there under $30, so you shouldn’t have to break the bank to impress someone. “You can find Sonoma’s <b>Bear Boat pinot noir</b> for less than $20. For their price range, they’re a consistent pinot producer. I like their style; it’s not over heavy, but not wimpy, either.”
He recommends the French producer <b>Jean-Luc Colombo</b>. “They make a few different <b>Côtes du Rhône</b> and most can be had for $15 to $16 a bottle.” France’s Rhone region has had a lot of good vintages lately, and, he said, “Jean-Luc Colombo puts as much emphasis on their Côtes du Rhône as their $80 <b>Chateauneuf-du-Pape</b>. It’s always good.” These reds have body enough to stand up to heavier hors d’oeuvres, he said.
As for whites, “I picked out a <b>Calera</b>, a California chardonnay. It’s very consistent. They make bottles from $15 to $50, and their <b>Central Coast chard,</b> from $15 to $17 is not too oaky, but not too soft, either. I love it because of the price point. You can’t beat it.”
And if you don’t know if your host is a red- or white-wine drinker, he agrees that champagne is the safe bet as a gift. “I have been partial to <b>Nicolas Feuillatte</b> — his regular brut, which you can get for around $30. Far and away better than most of the <b>Moet</b>, and to my thinking, V<b>euve Clicquot</b>, which everyone seems to like, but I don’t care for.” For a red wine as a gift, he likes <b>Patz and Hall Sonoma Coast pinot noir</b>, at $40 or so. “It’s a fantastic bottle of wine for the price.”
And a <b>Rombauer Chardonnay</b>, for under $40, is his white-wine choice. “It’s not stretching the imagination or finding anything new, but even in a not-so-good vintage year, they manage consistency.”
<i>Jan Norris is a local food writer who blogs about food (and more) at <a href="http://www.jannorris.com" target="_blank">www.jannorris.com</a>.</i></div>